Investigation 1 What Is Weather Vocabulary: Fill & Download for Free

Everyone loves a surprising and interesting fun fact that makes you question the world around you—challenging your assumptions and long-held beliefs and ultimately proving that there’s never a time in your life when you stop learning. But you know what everyone loves even more than a fun fact? Well, a fun fact so surprising and interesting that you stop dead in your tracks to say, “Holy smokes! Really?”To help you channel that feeling once more—OK, a full one hundred times!—we’ve compiled here the most interesting facts we could find in every genre imaginable that are guaranteed to stoke your curiosity. So read on, and enjoy! And once you’ve picked your jaw up off the floor, don’t miss these 50 Random Facts That Will Simply Astonish You.1Superman Didn’t Always FlyThe original comic book Superman could leap tall buildings in a single bound—but then he had to come right back down to earth, because he didn’t fly.It wasn’t until the 1940s, when animators for a new cartoon show decided it would be too difficult to routinely draw him bending his knees, that it was decided Superman could simply take off into the air. The audience got to see smooth animation and a superhero gained a new power. And for more trivia that’ll blow your mind, learn the 50 Random Facts That Will Simply Astonish You.2Hitler Had Stomach ProblemsThis was revealed in 2012, when Hitler’s medical documents were being auctioned to the public by Alexander Historical Auctions. According to the files, flatulence had become so pervasive of an issue that he had to regularly ingest 28 different drugs to keep his reputation “squeaky” clean.However, a lot of these drugs ended up falling “flat.” The anti-gas pills he used contained a base of strychnine, a poison, and caused further stomach and liver issues. (Please “excuse me” for the all of the “cheeky” jokes).3Showers Spark CreativityShowers aren’t just good for your hygiene—they’re good for your creativity, too. A recent study out of Drexel University found that over seven out of 10 people have reported experiencing an insight or breakthrough while in the shower. Other solitary activities, like taking a walk and daydreaming,show similar opportunities for inspiration. And for more mind-blowing info about your mind, the 35 Crazy Facts about Your Memory.4Bees Sometimes Sting Other BeesBees are notorious for their stings, but humans aren’t the only ones who experience this pain in the neck (or the arm, or the leg…). In protecting their hives from outsiders, some “guard bees” will actually stay by the entrance and sniff the bees that come in. If there’s a rogue bee from another hive trying to steal some nectar, the guard bee will bite and even sting the intruder.5Kids Ask 300 Questions a DayA recent British study observed young children and recorded the questions they asked the adults around them. Perhaps not surprisingly, the children usually turned to their mothers for answers, and these moms could end up answering an average nearly 300 questions per day, or one question every two-and-a-half minutes. The moms reported that the hardest questions they were asked included “Why is water wet?” and “What are shadows made of?”6The Total Weight of Ants Equals the Total Weight of PeopleYou’ve probably heard that the number of bugs on the planet exceeds the number of people many times over, but it can be hard to comprehend what that really looks like. Entomologists have estimated that there at least one million trillion insects, and only 1 percent of that number is ants.If you took all those ants (about ten thousand trillion) and put them on one side of a giant scale, you’d have to put all the humans on earth (7.4 billion) on the other side to balance it out. Yes, the total weight of all the ants on earth equals the weight of all the people.7Space Smells Like Seared SteakWhen you see footage of astronauts in their space suits floating peacefully outside their ships, do you ever wonder what space smells like? That’s usually not the first question people have in mind, but according to some former astronauts, space does have a distinct odor that hangs around when they come back in the ship after a spacewalk. They’ve described it as “hot metal” or “searing steak.” And for more on the great beyond, check out the 21 Mysteries about Space No One Can Explain.8The Healthiest Place in the World Is in PanamaA small valley near Volcán in Panama has garnered the distinction of the world’s healthiest place to live. Called “Shangri-La Valley,” this area is home to beautiful scenery, a low cost of living, and a significantly longer life expectancy than the surrounding areas. All in all, the world’s healthiest areas have some common factors: a warm climate, an active social scene, healthy food, and a slower pace of life that makes for less daily stress.9The Accordion Is the Most Popular Instrument in North KoreaThe most popular instrument in North Korea is the accordion, so much so that all teachers used to be required to play to get their teaching certifications. Because the accordion is portablein a way that, say, a grand piano isn’t, it was thought of as the “people’s instrument” that could be taken outside and played for laborers in the fields.Image via Wikimedia Commons10There’s a Decorated War Hero DogWhile in the trenches of World War I, the U.S. First Infantry Division found themselves unable to communicate with other troops because shellfire had damaged the telephone wires.A young private came up with a unique solution: Rags, a mixed breed terrier whom the soldiers had adopted in Paris, would carry the messages from one division to the next tucked into his collar. He saved many lives, and when Rags passed away—in Maryland, at the very advanced age of 20—he was buried with military honors. And for more important canines, don’t miss the 30 Most Important Dogs in American History.11You Have a Nail in Your BodyOr, at least, the components of one. Iron is an important nutrient that the human body needs. It helps your red blood cells carry oxygen, which is necessary for producing energy, throughout the body, so an iron deficiency can present with a feeling of exhaustion. Amazingly, a healthy adult has enough iron in their body that, if it were pulled out and melted down, it could form a nail up to three inches long.12A Pharaoh Used a Slave to Keep Bugs AwayThe pharaohs of ancient Egypt were thought by their people to be literally divine. The word pharaoh itself means “great house,” as in house of god. King Pepi II, who supposedly ruled for 90 years, thought so highly of himself that when he was bothered by insects, he would command that one of his slaves be covered in honey to lure the flies away from himself.13Dolphins have Been Trained to be Used in WarsDolphins are known widely as adorable, intelligent animals. What is not as widely known is that these crafty creatures were used largely by the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Both countries studied the creatures for its sonar capabilities, but also trained them to detect mines, bring equipment to divers, find lost equipment, and guard submarines amongst other nifty tricks. Not only do they Sea World, they can Destroy World. And surprisingly, dolphins are also one of the 30 Adorable Animals That Are Actually Deadly.14Children’s Medicine Once Contained MorphineIf you were a baby in the middle of the 1800s and you cried while teething, your parents might have given you Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup. This “medicine” claimed that “it soothes the child, it softens the gums, [and] allays all pain.” It may have done plenty of soothing, but it was also extremely dangerous—this concoction, like many patent medicines of the time, contained morphine.15The Weirdest Creatures Live in the Deep OceanThe deepest levels of our oceans are some of the least explored areas of the planet. Because of the extreme pressure, cold, and dark at these depths, only the very strangest of creatures can survive there. These include giant tube worms, vampire squids, goblin sharks, and viperfish with teeth so long that they can’t close their mouths. Perhaps the strangest, though, is the barreleye, a large fish with a completely transparent head. And for more monstrosities from the deep, meet the 20 Bizarre Sea Creatures That Look Like They’re Not Real.16The Driest Place on Earth Is A Lot Like MarsThe Atacama Desert in Chile, located on the western edge of South America, may also be the oldest desert on the planet. It’s also the driest. Amazingly, there are some weather stations there which have never reported rain.At certain altitudes, the soil is so dry and devoid of any kind of life—even microorganisms—that it’s comparable to the soil on Mars. In fact, NASA has sent researchers to this desert to test instruments that will be used on Mars missions.17Redheads Aren’t Going ExtinctPeriodically, a rumor starts on the internet that says natural redheads will become extinct by the year 2060. Lucky for gingers everywhere, this is a myth. It’s true that the gene that causes red hair is recessive, meaning that both parents must have it for their child to have red hair. However, even non-redheads can carry the red hair gene, and it can pop up unexpectedly in generations down the line.18One Man Saved More than 200 People from SuicideIt’s a sad fact the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is a site where many suicides take place. However, one California Highway Patrol officer has done more to combat this problem than any other individual. Officer Kevin Briggs, who battles depression himself, has personally talked more than 200 people down from the proverbial ledge throughout his career. After retiring in 2013, Briggs wrote a book called Guardian of the Golden Gate and now goes on speaking tours to encourage public discussion of suicide and mental illness.19Our European Ancestors Were CannibalsIn 16th and 17th century Europe, cannibalism was actually a fairly common practice, and it was all for medical purposes. The practice seems to have started because Egyptian mummies were thought to have magical curative properties and so were ground up and put in many remedies.As the idea evolved, human bone, blood, and fat were all used in medical concoctions. Got a headache? Crush a skull and make it into tea! While medical cannibalism has, thankfully, fallen out of favor, modern medicine still sometimes uses one human body to heal another in the form of blood donations, organ transplants, and skin grafts.20Dogs Actually Understand Some EnglishSome owners of disobedient dogs may have trouble believing this, but dogs can learn to recognize a vocabulary of about 165 words. Unsurprisingly, dogs respond best to short words, as well as words with hard consonants like T or R, which may explain why they can hear “treat” from three rooms away.If you want to try to expand your dog’s vocabulary, be consistent—for example, always call a meal “dinner” instead of breakfast, lunch, or supper. And don’t believe the myth: old dogs can learn words just as well as young dogs.21Pringles Aren’t Technically Potato ChipsThe next time you see a can of Pringles, take a closer look—you won’t see the word “chip” anywhere on the packaging. That’s because Pringles aren’t made of thinly-sliced potatoes, but instead dehydrated potato flakes pressed into their signature parabolic shape. That’s what makes them less greasy, but when other potato chip manufacturers complained, the FDA ruled that Pringles couldn’t be marketed as chips. The company eventually settled on “potato crisp.”22Most Laughter Isn’t Because Things Are FunnyEvery culture in the world laughs, but surprisingly, most of our laughter isn’t necessarily a response to humor. Only 20 percent of laughter comes after jokes; the other 80 percent is a reaction to regular statements and questions like, “How have you been?” The ensuing laughter, however brief, helps form social bonds—people who laugh together grow closer.23Pro Baseball Once Had Women PlayersWhile there are currently no female players in Major League Baseball, there have been plenty of women in professional men’s leagues. The first was Lizzy Arlington, who in 1898 pitched the ninth inning for the Reading Coal Heavers and won her team the game.A little over 30 years later, an African-American woman, Jackie Mitchell, pitched against the Yankees during an exhibition game, striking out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. What’s more impressive: Mitchell was 17 years old at the time.24Koalas Have FingerprintsChimpanzees and gorillas have human-like fingerprints and so do koalas. In fact, koala prints are so alike as to be indistinguishable from human fingerprints, even to expert crime scene investigators. As of yet, no koalas are known to have framed humans for their crimes, but now we know it’s not impossible…25Water Makes Different Pouring Sounds Depending on its TemperatureIf you listen very closely, hot water and cold water sound slightly different when being poured. The heat changes the thickness, or viscosity, of the water, which changes the pitch of the sound it makes when it’s poured. What we feel as heat comes from the molecules of the water moving faster. Cold water is thicker and therefore makes a slightly higher-pitched sound.26Dinosaurs Lived on Every ContinentBack in their day, dinosaurs lived on every continent on earth, including Antarctica. The reason we only find their bones in certain places, though, is that weather and soil conditions in those places were just right for the bones to be fossilized. Scientists also speculate that there may be many smaller-sized dinosaurs that we know nothing about because their bones were too small to fossilize well.27Many Languages Have the Same RootsEnglish, Portuguese, Latvian, Pashto, and Greek all sound very different today, but these languages all have a common ancestor called Proto-Indo-European. Though we don’t have any written examples of it, linguists have worked backwards from a variety of modern languages to try to reconstruct it. Using their reconstruction, the sentence “The king wanted a son” would be written as “H3rḗḱs súhxnum u̯l̥nh1to.”Image via YouTube28Rolls-Royce Makes the Most Expensive (New) Car in the WorldCurrently, the most expensive car in the world is a Rolls-Royce Sweptail that sold for $13 million. However, even if you have that kind of dough lying around, you won’t be able to buy it—only one was made, and it was custom-built from the ground up according to the buyer’s specifications. Apparently, though, brand new custom cars have nothing on used classics; the recent sale of a 1963 Ferrari GTO for $70 million is supposedly the highest price ever paid for a car.Image via Wikimedia Commons29Typhoid Mary Loved to Cook“Typhoid Mary” was a real historical person: an Irish woman named Mary Mallon who immigrated to the United States in the 1880s. Though she had no symptoms of typhoid fever, she carried the bacteria in her blood and could pass it on to other people. Because no doctor could convince her that this was true and she didn’t feel sick, she insisted on working as a cook. During her career, she infected at least 51 people, three of whom died, before she was isolated in enforced quarantine for the last decades of her life.30The Legend of the Loch Ness Monster Goes Back Nearly 1,500 YearsThere’s a tale written in the year 565 A.D. that speaks of an Irish monk traveling through Scotland. While there, St. Colomba heard stories of a “water beast” that attacked and killed the local people when they went in the river. Wanting to help, the monk used his friend as bait to lure the beast into sight, at which point Colomba commanded it to “go no further,” and the creature stopped and swam back upstream. That river is now known in Scotland as the River Ness, which flows out from the famous Loch Ness. And for more tales that hold no water, check out the 33 Common Myths We’re All Obsessed with.31Nutmeg Can Be PoisonousA little dash of nutmeg in a pumpkin pie or on your egg nog can give it some extra flavor and a lovely spicy scent. Too much nutmeg, however, can be toxic. Two to three teaspoons of raw nutmeg can induce hallucinations, convulsions, pain, nausea, and paranoia that can last for several days. Actual fatalities are rare, but they have happened.32Chinese Police Use Geese SquadsYou’ve heard of police dogs, but police geese? As of 2013, twelve police stations in a rural area of China have begun to use geese as sentries. They are alert animals and, as you probably know, can create a lot of noise and commotion, and creative Chinese law enforcement officers are taking advantage of that fact. While this trend has yet to spread throughout China, Dongwan police claim that the geese have already stopped at least one theft.33The First iPhone Wasn’t Made by AppleThe first mobile device to be called an “iPhone” was made by Cisco, not Apple. It allowed the user to use the voice functions of Skype without a computer. Apple announced its own product just 22 days later, and Cisco sued for trademark infringement. The lawsuit was ultimately settled out of court and both companies were allowed to keep using the name. However, it’s safe to bet that you’ve never heard of the Cisco iPhone.34There’s a Country Where Twins Are Most Likely to be BornBenin, a country in central Africa, is notable for having the highest birth rate of twins in the world. While the world average is just 13.6 twins per 1,000 births, Benin more than doubles that rate, at 27.9 twins per 1,000 births. There’s no single factor that causes this, but genetics, diet, and even the mother’s height are thought to play a role. In contrast, parents in Asia and Latin America are some of the least likely to have twins.35The Comic Sans Font Came from an Actual Comic BookMost adults nowadays who know anything about graphic design steer away from using the Comic Sans font in formal documents. Whether or not this font deserves its negative reputation, it was designed by Vincent Connare, who drew direct inspiration from his favorite comic books, including Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ celebrated Watchmen series. Gibbons, who did the lettering for the book, has described the Comic Sans font as “dreadful.”36For 100 Years, Maps Have Shown an Island That Doesn’t ExistAlmost nothing is known about Sandy Island, a land mass about the size of Manhattan in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia. Supposedly, explorer James Cook discovered it in 1876, and it began appearing on nautical maps in 1908. It wasn’t until 2012, when a team of Australian scientists set out to survey the island, that they discovered there was no island there at all. The scientists guessed that Cook may have in fact spotted a “pumice raft” of floating volcanic stone and gas, but nonetheless, the Sydney Morning Herald published an obituary for Sandy Island.37Babies Are Physical AnomaliesBabies, particularly newborns, are surprisingly different from the children they’ll grow up to be. When they’re born, their heads account for a quarter of their full body weight, and the size of their brains will double in the first year of life. Babies have 300 bones and around 10,000 tastebuds all over their mouth. Some of the bones will fuse as they age (into 206, as an adult), but the tastebuds not on the tongue will eventually vanish.38The Queen Has Some Hidden HideawaysSince the early 13th century, the city of London has officially payed rent to the Crown for two small pieces of property. Fortunately for the city, the price has stayed the same for over 800 years: one knife, one axe, six horseshoes, and 61 nails, presented every autumn in the Ceremony of Quit Rents. Although one of these properties is located in the Moors in Shropshire and the other is near the Royal Courts of Justice in the city itself, no one knows the exact location of the Queen’s land.39The Man Who Wrote Dracula Never Visited TransylvaniaBram Stoker was an Irish author who is now best remembered for his gothic horror novel Dracula. Partially set in Transylvania, a mountainous region in central Romania, the story cemented the legend of the vampire in mainstream European and American culture. Since Stoker was a notoriously private man, many people over the years have speculated as to his various inspirations for the novel, from Vlad Dracul of Wallachia to the English seaside town of Whitby to a particularly vivid nightmare. One thing is certain – despite Stoker’s many world travels, he never visited Eastern Europe—and, by virtue, Transylvania—at all.40The Australian Government Banned the Word “Mate” for a DayThere are probably slang or informal words that get on your nerves from time to time, particularly when you think something should be taken seriously. In 2005, Australian Parliament took a few citizen complaints a little too seriously and banned anyone on their staff from using the word “mate” while at work. Fortunately, Prime Minister John Howard objected, claiming that “mate” was an important part of Australian culture, and the ban was overturned within 24 hours.41Sea Lions Can Dance to a BeatThere are only two mammals on Earth with the proven ability to move their bodies in time with an external beat: humans (though not all humans, to be fair) and sea lions. When researchers at the University of Santa Cruz rescued a stranded sea lion, they found that she was very smart, and one particularly enterprising grad student decided to teach her to dance. Though parrots can also keep a rhythm, it was previously thought that only animals capable of complex vocal learning could do this.42A Tick Bite Can Make You Allergic to Red MeatPlenty of people have food allergies, but few are the result of an insect bite. In a strange and growing trend, some people who get bitten by the Lone Star tick can develop a sudden allergy to red meat. Beef, lamb, and pork (which is technically classified as a red meat) can make people with this allergy experience headaches, sneezing, a runny nose, and nausea. In severe cases, it can cause the person to be unable to breathe. For some sufferers, the allergy fades over time, but for others, it’s permanent.43Harriet Tubman Was Basically an Action HeroYou probably know that Harriet Tubman was a former slave who became a political activist for the abolition movement. You may not know, however, that Tubman routinely fought for the cause. In addition to smuggling escaped slaves through the Underground Railroad, during the Civil War she was the first woman to lead an armed assault. She planned and executed a number of raids and was known to carry a revolver for personal protection.44Tornadoes Can Cause “Fish Rain”Tornadoes can develop over water just as well as they can over land. When they do, they’re called waterspouts, and they suck up large amounts of lake or sea water—as well as whatever’s swimming in that water. If the waterspout travels on to the land and the winds decrease, there’s nowhere for those fish to go but down. As far as we know, there’s no tornado powerful enough to pick up sharks, but a fish-nado is entirely possible.45Napoleon Was Once Attacked by Thousands of RabbitsNapoleon Bonaparte was once one of the most powerful men in Europe, but he suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands (or paws) of rabbits. After a military victory, Napoleon’s chief of staff organized a rabbit hunt to celebrate. Thousands of rabbits were brought in to be set loose, but instead of hopping away when the cages were opened, they turned to attack, swarming the partygoers. After trying and failing to shoo them away, the great Emperor Napoleon ran for the safety of his carriage.46Star Trek‘s Scotty Stormed the Beach at NormandyCanadian actor James Doohan, best known for playing Montgomery “Scotty” Scott on the original Star Trek series, served in World War II with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. As a commissioned lieutenant, he led his troop up a mine-strewn Juno Beach as part of the Allied Forces’ D-Day invasion.Later in the day, he was wounded by friendly fire that caused the amputation of the middle finger on his right hand. You might not have noticed it because, during his time on Star Trek, directors did the best they could to avoid showing the injury on screen. And for more weird celebrity trivia, don’t miss the 20 Craziest Celebrity Rumors of All Time.47Apple Pie Isn’t Actually AmericanApples originally come from Asia. The first pies were baked in Medieval Europe. Even the concept of putting apples in pie traces back to a recipe from England in 1381. Nevertheless, the phrase “as American as apple pie” turned up by 1924 and became a common saying during the years of the Second World War.48Pigs Are Constitutionally Protected in FloridaFirst written in 1838, the Constitution of the state of Florida guarantees the right to privacy, the freedom of speech, and the right of pregnant pigs to be free from cages. Unlike many crazy or outdated laws, this amendment is recent (passed in 2002) and comes from a well-meaning place: the prevention of cruelty to animals. During pregnancy, a pig must not be caged or even tethered such that it can’t turn around freely.49Mr. Cherry Breaks All the Records You’ve Never Heard OfThe year 2018 has seen a lot of world records beaten, from the cat with the longest tail to the most layers on a ball of paint. Once again, it was a banner year for Japan’s record breaker for most records broken: Cherry Yoshitake, a children’s entertainer who goes by “Mr. Cherry.” This year alone, Mr. Cherry set one-minute records for the most pairs of underwear pulled on (36), the most baked beans eaten (71), and the most apples bobbed (37).50Sweat Doesn’t Actually StinkYou might notice that any sweat you produce right after a shower doesn’t smell so bad. That’s because your sweat itself isn’t stinky; it’s the bacteria on your skin that break the sweat down that cause the odor. Additionally, you’ll find that the sweat on your arms and legs doesn’t smell as much as your armpits. That’s because sweat glands in your armpits secrete more protein into a dark, damp environment—the perfect place and food for bacteria.source- 100 Random Facts So Interesting You'll Say, "OMG!" | Best Life

Mandarin Chinese is quite a complex language to learn, especially for English speakers. However, with commitment and daily practice it is certainly possible to successfully master . Practice alone with your textbooks, with Mandarin-speaking friends or online with the many online Mandarin schools that exist. Keep reading for a basic overview of the most important things you need to know about learning Mandarin Chinese. But for offline you can prefer Internship in China | Internships Abroad | Learn Chinese ProgramsPart1Mastering the BasicsPractice using the four Mandarin tones. Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, which means that different tones can change the meaning of a word, even if the pronunciation and spelling are otherwise the same. It is essential to learn the different tones if you wish to speak Mandarin Chinese correctly. Mandarin Chinese has four main tones, as follows:The first tone is a high, flat tone. Your voice stays flat, with no rise or dip in the way it sounds. Using the word "ma" as an example, the first tone is indicated using the symbol above the letter a: "mā".The second tone is a rising tone. Your voice rises from a low to middle pitch, as if you were asking someone to repeat something by saying "huh?" or "what?" The second tone is indicated using the symbol "má".The third tone is a dipping tone.The pitch goes from middle to low to high, like when you say the letter "B". When two third tone syllables are near each other, the second one retains its third tone sound while the first takes the sound of the second tone. The third tone is indicated using the symbol "mǎ".The fourth tone is a lowering tone. The pitch goes rapidly from high to low, as if giving a command e.g. stop! Or as if you're reading a book and have come across something new and interesting and are saying "huh". The fourth tone is indicated using the symbol "mà".Easy enough? If not, don't fret. It's definitely recommended to hear the tones demonstrated by a native speaker, since it's hard to get an idea of what they sound like purely through text.Memorize simple vocabulary. No matter what language you're learning, the more words you have at your disposal, the sooner you will become fluent. Therefore, the next thing to do is to memorize some useful Chinese vocabulary.Some good vocabulary lists to start with includes: times of day (morning: zǎo shàng, afternoon: xià wǔ, evening: wǎn shàng) body parts (head: tóu, feet: jiǎo, hands: shǒu) food (beef: niú ròu, chicken: jī, egg: jī dàn, noodles: miàn tiáo) along with colors, days, months, transport words, weather, etc.When you hear a word in English, think about how you would say it in Mandarin. If you don't know what it is, jot it down and look it up later. It's handy to keep a little notebook on you for this purpose. Attach little Chinese labels (with the character, the pinyin and the pronunciation) to items around your house, such as the mirror, the coffee table and the sugar bowl. You'll see the words so often that you'll learn them without realizing it!Although having a wide vocabulary is good, remember that in Mandarin, accuracy is more important. It's no good learning a word if you can't pronounce it properly, using the correct tone, as different pronunciations could have entirely different meanings. For example, using the wrong tone (using mā instead of má) could be the difference between saying "I want cake" and "I want coke" - two completely different meanings.Learn how to count. Luckily, the Mandarin numerical system is fairly straightforward and logical, and once you have learned the first ten numbers you will be able to count to 99.Below you will find the numbers one to ten, written in simplified Chinese characters, followed by the Hanyu pinyin translation and the correct pronunciation. Make sure to practice saying each number using the correct tone.One: written as (一) or yī, pronounced [eee]Two: written as (二) or èr, pronounced [arr]Three: written as (三) or sān, pronounced [saan]Four: written as (四) or sì, pronounced [ssuh]Five: written as (五) or wǔ, pronounced [woo]Six: written as (六) or liù, pronounced [lee-yoe]Seven: written as (七) or qī, pronounced [chi]Eight: written as (八) or bā, pronounced [baa]Nine: written as (九) or jiǔ, pronounced [jee-yo]Ten: written as (十) or shí, pronounced [sh]Once you have mastered numbers one to ten, you can continue counting in double digits by saying the number in the tens' position, then the word shi, followed by the number in the one's position. For example:The number 48 is written as sì shí bā, literally meaning "four tens plus eight". The number 30 is written as sān shí, literally meaning "three tens". The number 19 is written as yī shí jiǔ, literally meaning "one ten plus nine" (however in most Mandarin dialects the initial yī is omitted from numbers in the teens, as it is deemed unnecessary)The word for hundred in Mandarin is (百) or baǐ, so 100 is written as yī baǐ, 200 is written as èr baǐ, 300 is written as sān baǐ, etc.Learn some basic conversational phrases. Once you have a basic grasp of vocabulary and pronunciation, you can move on to learning basic conversational phrases which are used in everyday Chinese speech.Hello = nǐhǎo, pronounced [nee how]What is your surname (family name)? = nín guì xìng, pronounced [neen gway shing]What's your name? = nǐ jiào shén me míng zì[1]Yes = shì, pronounced [sh]No = bú shì, pronounced [boo sh]Thank you = xiè xiè, pronounced [shie shie]You're welcome = bú yòng xiè, pronounced [boo yong shee-e]Excuse me = duì bu qǐ, pronounced [dway boo chee]I don't understand = wǒ bù dǒng, pronounced [wuo boo downg]Goodbye = zài jiàn, pronounced [zay jee-en]Part2Advancing Your Language SkillsStudy basic grammar. There is a common misconception that grammar does not exist in the Chinese language, but this is not true. Chinese grammar rules do exist, they are just very different to those in European or other language systems. Unlike these languages, Chinese is a very analytic language which is both good news and bad news for language learners.For instance, in Chinese there are no complicated rules about conjugations, agreement, gender, plural nouns or tense. Most words consist of single syllables which are then combined to make compound words. This makes sentence construction fairly straightforward.However, Chinese has its own set of grammar rules which do not have an equivalent in English, or other European languages. For example, Chinese uses grammatical features such as classifiers, topic-prominence and preference for aspect. As these features are not used in English, they can be quite difficult for learners to grasp.However, despite the differences, Chinese does use the same word order as English mostly, i.e. subject - verb - object, making it easier to translate word for word. For example, the English phrase "he likes cats" is translated directly as "tā (he) xǐ huan (likes) māo (cats).Learn how to use Pinyin. Pinyin is a system used for writing Mandarin Chinese using the Roman alphabet. Hanyu pinyin is the most common form of such Romanization, and is used in many textbooks and teaching materials.Pinyin allows students of Mandarin to focus on their pronunciation, while also enabling them to read and write, without needing to learn complex Chinese characters. Although Pinyin uses the Roman alphabet, the pronunciation of its letters is often not intuitive to English speakers, which is why it must be studied carefully before it can be used.For example, the letter "c" in Pinyin is pronounced like the "ts" in the word "bits", the letter "e" is pronounced like the "er" in the word "hers" and the letter "q" is pronounced like the "ch" in the word "cheap". Due to these differences, it is essential that you learn the correct Pinyin pronunciations before using it as a guide.Although learning Pinyin pronunciations may seem like a pain, it can be extremely beneficial to your language learning and is still significantly easier than learning to recognize traditional Chinese characters.Practice reading and writing Chinese characters. The final hurdle in learning Mandarin Chinese is learning to read and write traditional Chinese characters. This can take a very long time (even years) to master, as the only way to learn them is through memorization and continuous practice.According to the BBC, there are over 50, 000 Chinese characters in existence, however most of these are rarely, if ever, used. An educated Chinese person will probably know about 8000 characters, but only about 2000 of these are necessary to read a newspaper.[2]When writing Chinese characters, you will first need to learn each of the 214 "radicals" - which are essentially the building blocks of every Chinese character. Some radicals can stand on their own as independent characters, while others are used only within more complex http://characters.It is also important that you follow the correct stroke order when writing the characters. There are a specific set of rules you will need to follow, such as left to right, top to bottom and horizontal before vertical.There are many Chinese workbooks you can buy which will guide you in the correct formation of characters. These are usually intended for schoolchildren, but are useful to anyone attempting to learn Chinese characters.One of the major benefits of learning Chinese characters is that you will also have access to Cantonese, Japanese, Korean and other literatures, which also use many traditional or simplified Chinese characters in their writings, even though the spoken languages are not the same.Part3Immersing Yourself in the LanguageFind a native speaker. One of the best ways to improve your new language skills is to practice speaking with a native speaker. They will easily be able to correct any grammar or pronunciation mistakes you make and can introduce you to more informal or colloquial forms of speech that you won't find in a textbook.If you have a Mandarin-speaking friend who is willing to help, that's great! Otherwise, you can place an ad in the local paper or online or investigate whether there are any pre-existing Mandarin conversation groups in the area.If you can't locate any Mandarin-speakers nearby, try finding someone on Skype. They might be willing to exchange 15 minutes of Mandarin conversation for 15 minutes of English.If you can't find someone on Skype , Try QQ (just google it , you will find it in the first link :)), It's a chat tool , only popular in China , There you can find many Language learning groups/rooms , Most people there are learning English . They will be glad to talk to you , Add the group(ID:229776426) , Hope you can find your language partner.Consider signing up for a language course. If you need some extra motivation or feel you would learn better in a more formal setting, try signing up for a Chinese language course.With the growth of Asian neighborhoods around the country, many classes taught by volunteers have popped up. They range in cost from $300 to $500 or more per year, plus other costs. You can also try an online Mandarin school.Look out for language courses advertised at local colleges, schools or community centers.If you're nervous about signing up for a class by yourself, drag a friend along. You'll have more fun and someone to practice with between classes!Watch Chinese films and cartoons. Get your hands on some Chinese DVDs (with subtitles) or watch Chinese cartoons online. This is an easy, entertaining way to get a feel for the sound and structure of the Mandarin Chinese language.If you're feeling particularly proactive, try pausing the video after a simple sentence and repeat what has just been said. This will lend your Chinese accent an air of authenticity!If you can't find any Chinese films to buy, try renting them from a movie rental store, which often have foreign language sections. Alternatively, see if your local library has any Chinese films or ask if they would be able to source some for you.Listen to Chinese music and radio. Listening to Chinese music and/or radio is another good way to surround yourself in the language. Even if you can't understand everything, try to pick out keywords to help you get the gist of what's being said.Get a Mandarin Chinese radio app on your phone, so you can listen on the go.Try downloading Chinese podcasts to listen to while exercising or doing housework.Consider taking a trip to China. Once you feel comfortable with the basics of Mandarin Chinese speech, consider taking a trip to China, or even Taiwan. What better way to immerse yourself in the Mandarin language than a journey to its native land!Don't be too harsh on yourself. Learning a language is a gradual process - you have to keep at it. Chinese is one of the hardest languages to learn, so take your time.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." - Sorry, Mr. Dickens.Being "Gifted" is very much like being "anything else." There are pros and cons aplenty. In fact, the use of the term "Gifted" to describe that condition in which you tend to learn more quickly, tend to connect related information, and tend to make stronger and more perceptive intuitive leaps—that in and of itself is proof that whoever came up with the term "Gifted"....wasn't.The GoodSo as I mentioned above, there are significant advantages to the "Gifted" mentality:Accelerated learning curve: in most situations, a Gifted person will tend to pick up the information presented more rapidly and with less scaffolding than a non-Gifted person.Intuitive learning process: Many times, a Gifted person will genuinely listen to an explanation or lecture and nod, simply because it confirmed something that the Gifted mind already suspected, but had not yet investigated enough to act on. Ever said "Oh, yeah, that makes sense!" about something? Gifted minds do that a lot whenever someone begins explaining a concept. Note the word "begins" - we'll come back to this later.Very strong retention in areas of interest: I can remember very specific information from classes I took a quarter century ago. My students will remember my exact word choice weeks and months later. I can pick up a project or game or book I haven't touched in years, and in about a minute or two, be back up to 95% of the skill or familiarity I had. Ten minutes later, I'm likely to be pushing the boundaries I was pushing back then without a problem. Note, by the way, the use of the term "areas of interest”: We'll be coming back to this one too.Inherent, constant analysis: I'm always seeking to put things together - to make the bigger puzzle fit. The relation between linguistic development and historical conquest fascinates me. Studies of developmental cognitive psychology and how it can be used in education can keep me going for ages. Give me something even vaguely related to an interest and I'll peruse it simply because it will add to the store of what I already know about this other thing I *DO* care about. I'll also try to understand simple things that others can't bother themselves with, because here I may find answers to other questions I have. The world is fascinating.Hyperfocusing: Most people can binge Netflix, or binge a video game. The gifted, in an area of their interest, can "binge" - I usually refer to it as hyperfocusing - on whatever interests them to that degree. While "bingers" usually are aware of the passage of time, what other people in the room are doing, and of their biological needs, it is not uncommon for the Gifted to lose sight of these things entirely. I have a friend who once sat on my couch to start reading something that interested him. I left for my college classes for the day, and eight hours later came back. He hadn't moved. He didn't even know I'd gone to class. He bemusedly realized he was hungry and kind of needed to pee when I came back in and threw something at him. If you don't interrupt our line of sight, forget it: we will never know you were there. He claims to have lost entire days (24 hour cycles, gang) in that fashion, and I believe him. I've burned twelve hours learning to code in a single stretch when my family was out of town. It was winter - I literally had no idea the sun had risen and fallen while I sat there.Vocabulary: Even amongst those who do not read fanatically - and most Gifted do, though not all - you tend to see a greatly elevated vocabulary. For someone with a particular flair for linguistics, every word begins to take on a very specific and finessed shade of meaning. I often like to say that I mean exactly what my words say - no more, no less. This precision in speaking is - again, for those who share this particular trait - something of a joy. You don't waste time clarifying your meaning; you know exactly what you intend and you say it. Sadly, note again that we'll be coming back here, because I did say "What you intend," and there's a big fat asterisk tied to that.Prestige: Our society has a very strong double standard in terms of the Gifted, and in some ways, we benefit from it. Provided you spend a little time studying the human mind, it's easy to (often unintentionally) place yourself in an assertive or alpha situation by simple explanation of reasoning, word choice, and body language. In situations where intellect is desired, your ability to establish control over a situation is almost guilt-inducing. The opposite, alas, is also true.The BadThe Curse of Rapid Intuitive Learning: This sounds like a blessing until you realize that society fundamentally does not allow for or take into account that this can happen. In any given meeting, when a point is put forth for everyone to understand, a sequence occurs: the point is made, and then examples are used to illustrate the idea to aid in comprehension, usually somewhere between two to five such. Generally, less examples mean more belaboring of the examples. Most Gifted people will listen to the original point and then immediately connect an understanding of the point with other things they've observed, fully comprehend, and then want to move on. At worst, they may require one example - rarely, two. Result? We spend half the meeting fighting the emotional frustration of feeling that we're being talked down to, in the manner an adult might speak to a child. We spend a lot of time wanting to shout, "I get it, MOVE ON ALREADY!" This can and does happen in any size environment: it's why tutors frustrate us, classes bore us, and lectures see us screwing off in the back.Hyperfocusing on Areas of Interest: I can still tell you how the AI from the Nintendo game "Conflict" responds to specific strategies, and I played that game twenty-seven years ago. I can tell you Dungeons and Dragons 1st edition starting HP values for every class, and how Halflings can't level very high - back when Halflings were a class, not a race. What I can't tell you is what my wife had for breakfast this morning. I have no idea what clothes I wore last week, and I sure as hell can't tell you if I have any chores my wife wants me to do. This isn't just simple male forgetfulness - the Gifted have a habit of hyperfocusing on those things which they deem important and to hell with anything else. It's not conscious or intentional. I simply remember details that are critical to me and push everything else out. All Gifted do this with areas of interest and non-interest. My wife and I had to sort this out early in our marriage: it wasn't that I didn't support her or didn't care about things she valued, it's just that I was terrible at remembering them. If she reminded me, I'd be all over helping out. (She makes me a list I can see in my field of vision while working on my interests. Helps a lot.) If not, I could stand in a three-foot pile of dirty socks and underwear and quite possibly be genuinely unaware. The Absent-Minded Professor stereotype is absolutely truth, and this is where it comes from. It's not intentional, but it's very, very real for a lot of us.Just Because YOU Have the Vocabulary: Sadly, most of the human race has a pretty weak vocabulary. They use words clumsily, like children with clubs. If you see a Gifted mind who uses profanity on a regular basis, question whether they're really Gifted; or if something truly heinous has happened to them in their life. This isn't prudish - it's that most Gifted know there are much, much more creative and vile things to call people than dull four letter words. Trying to explain a point of finesse to people who don't understand the connotative difference in several meanings is maddening. Trying to figure out precisely - PRECISELY - what someone is trying to say when they only have four words of degree to explain themselves is like trying to get a toddler to explain which grain of sandpaper to buy: You still wonder why we get annoyed sometimes?What Is Obvious Is Not So: If you want to see the most blatant example of this phenomenon, ask a fourteen year old Gifted child what they think about showing their work in Math. After their head explodes, they'll explain how the steps are so blatantly obvious that doing them on paper is nothing but a hideous waste of time. In the same manner that you or I might get annoyed if someone reminded us to "carry the 1" when we added 9+2, they get annoyed at the steps required to solve simple algebra. The answer is obvious! Writing it out is just condescending stupidity. (The solution to this, by the way, is the same reason we all write out the steps when we're younger: because while 9+2 is easy, 1,254,231 + 9,832,894 is not; you have to build the skill habit for later when the steps are too much to mentally accommodate, no matter how brilliant you are.) This happens to the Gifted in all walks of life; it's very easy to forget that something might NOT be obvious to non-Gifted. It's also very hard for us to predict when things are obvious to you, and when they are not obvious to you; to us, it follows no clear pattern. Result? We either appear arrogant (because it's obvious to us and not to you) or insulting (because it's obvious to you and we assumed it wasn't, so we're trying to explain). Good times.The UglyThis area is almost entirely about the social ramifications of Giftedness, which, sadly, are unanimously negative.Peer Groups: Gifted minds seldom fit into age, gender, or social-class-typical peer groups. In school, they'll prefer the company of the elder or the educator. In life, they'll prefer older, wiser people or experts in fields. In love, they are almost certain to prefer someone very unlike themselves - because in all ways, at all times, the Gifted mind seeks to learn. Unfortunately, problems crop up here in all three areas: visually, in school, the Gifted kid sticks out in any group for a variety of reasons. (And school is SO rewarding to the outliers.) In life, it typically means that in the field of study you've chosen, the great majority of the people you work with won't understand you or won't perceive things as you do. As an educator, it boggles my mind what other teachers discuss casually. How can people be so dull? How can you purport to pursue knowledge, enlightenment, and growth—and at the same time watch reality television at night? Gods, it sickens. (It is false, by the way, to assume that this-or-that-field draws more Gifted people. There ARE fields where smart, ambitious, and driven people are common, but those are not the same thing, and smart, ambitious, and driven people are interesting, but it's not the same thing.) In love, it usually means you want to reach out to someone very unlike you, and it means you'll work three times as hard to garner their interest - if you possess the skills to do so at all; many Gifted Absent-Minded Professor types have no interest in social skills, and so might even never accomplish anything in love at all. There are fascinating implications here for the genetic disposition of the human race as we attempt to "breed out brilliance."....woops. There's my own Giftedness leaking out around the edges. Back on topic.Inane Conversation is Inane: No, I don't want to talk about weather patterns. That's boring. No, I don't want to discuss the local overpaid sports team I don't watch. That's uninteresting, cliche, and typical. No, I didn't watch your highly predictable television drama whose character stereotypes go back fifty or five hundred years, depending on how educated the writer is. No, I didn't watch the latest group of talking heads - excuse me, politicians - debate, they're all out for themselves in a basically bankrupt system anyhow. Sometimes I'll fake interest in these conversations if I must, but I'd really rather not. The Gifted, generally, dislike dishonesty - not out of some high-minded morality, but more because it tends to muddle the quest for knowledge. Note that "puppeteering dimwits" is, ironically, not considered lying by many Gifted minds. (The moral issue there is obvious and not worth belaboring.)Hyperfocusing Isn't About You: Many people have seen hyperfocusing from Gifted individuals and immediately assume that what they're looking at is someone being rude or obnoxious. They tend to be somewhat aggressive in disrupting the focus as a result. So now you have someone who was completely unaware getting jarred out of their passion by someone being rude to them: what comes next is obvious and unpleasant for all involved. More problematically, hyperfocusing tends to be one of the earliest "emergent signs" of the Gifted - and thus many Gifted trend away from socialization at an early age because of this and the peer groups issue. It's not an accident that so many behave in this manner.Prestige Revisited: I could continue at length, but I'll wrap it up with this one. Human society is petty, spiteful, and has vengeance in its heart. If you need sourcing for that one, I can't help you - but any Gifted mind will confirm it. (Come to think of it, so will any nice girl who happens to be pretty, or any strong guy who happens to be smart.) While it's absolutely true that a Gifted mind can assume social dominance in any situation where intellect is called for, it's also absolutely true that a Gifted mind will be socially destroyed the moment intellect is NOT needed. People love to tear down those who are smarter than them in an attempt to bring back social status balance in their own minds. We see this in all forms, but while beauty and strength are generally socially rewarded, intellect is cursed. Look at all our villains in movies - they're brilliant and angry, often from a mistreated youth. Look at all our heroes: generally good looking, charismatic, and strong. They may have a nerdy sidekick to help deal with the brains side of the house, but that sidekick will always be nerdy. (Simplest proof: Hermione, Harry Potter, books 1-3. Rowling realized what she was doing later, I suspect. Other examples abound.) Gifted minds pick up on patterns. We know this is what society thinks of us, even if we don't consciously recognize it. I'm your Lex Luthor. I'm your Snidely Whiplash. I'm Dr.Octopus. I'm every evil scheme ever created, simply because I don't have to wait twenty minutes to understand what's going on. One wonders how many Gifted minds were burned with the term "witch" once upon a time. At best - and it's really very sad that some people point to this show as "improvement" - you get The Big Bang Theory; here, the Gifted aren't villains, they're comic sideshow. It's not polite to call us evil anymore, so let's make us society's clowns and lepers. We're all pathetic, pale, pasty pencilnecks with no social skills who play video games.Not so much.Being Gifted really is the best and worst of times. Most of us make our peace with it and we lead successful lives. Some don't, and become famously awkward social rejects whose minds atrophy under chemicals such that you'd never know what they might have been. Worst cases do horribly destructive things to self and others. Until Academic Decathalon gets the same prestige as Friday Night Lights, until Steven Pinker is as well known as Brock Lesnar, and until our presidents brag about their gifts of analysis rather than their gifts of phallus... well, then in the final sum:We're not suffering, we don't need your pity, and spare us your jealousy, too.Being "Gifted" ain't.